With Wilmington's distinguished history as a thriving port community, few folks recognize at first that part of this reputation stemmed from its legacy as a bustling railroad center. In fact, for well over 125 years, railroading was the top industry in this town, surpassing importing and exporting goods along the Cape Fear River, (although the two businesses were certainly intertwined.)
Partly due to an effort to get more goods and materials to this busy coastal port, in 1840 the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad was established, creating the longest continuous rail line in the world of its time, at 161 miles long. By the early 1900s, smaller railroad companies, including the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad, were merging under the operation of one large conglomerate, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL), and by the 1910s, this massive industrial company set up headquarters in the center of Wilmington, creating thousands of jobs, and contributing to the city's industrial and commercial growth.
In 1960, however, ACL moved its headquarters further south to Jacksonville Florida, and took many of its employees along. The mass transition of over 1,000 employees and their families was one of the largest company moves in the country's history.
Since then, the railroading industry has clearly dissipated, but the heyday of Wilmington's role as one of the largest railroad communities on the East Coast can still be remembered at the Wilmington Railroad Museum.
The museum itself was founded in 1979 as a joint contribution of three local Wilmington residents and a handful of artifacts, and simply grew from there. In 1983, the museum found a temporary residence, appropriately located at the original ACL Freight Office Building, and following the move, the number of exhibits expanded greatly with donations of artifacts, photographs, materials, and even an entire locomotive, boxcar and caboose. This new collection of items made it clear that the museum was outgrowing its current facilities, and it moved a final time in 2007 to an authentic 1883 railroad freight warehouse, which allows ample room for the museum's extensive collection of facilities. Indeed the rustic brick building on Nutt Street certainly lends a look of authentic credibility to the museum, especially coupled with the impressive ACL caboose, boxcar, and locomotive stationed just outside the building's entrance.
Inside, visitors will find a wealth of information on Wilmington's fascinating and deep rooted railroad industry, including typical attire, gear and supplies to keep the trains operating, fine China and artifacts from the first class dining cars and restaurants, and a replication of the station agents' offices and check-in area where thousands of railway passengers began their East Coast journeys.
The museum also has four scale models which accommodate 20 model trains that run daily through a special "model train" area of the museum. The model trains include a recreation of the authentic 1950s-era ACL Wilmington freight and passenger terminal area as well as the surrounding buildings, which are held within the 1,500 square foot Model Hall.
There's even a children's area, also known as "Children's Hall," where young imaginations can run wild in a number of play areas. Kids can build their own railroad empires as they start and stop the trains on display, and can even pose for photos in the Miniature Caboose. The museum hosts a special story hour and activity as well for young visitors, on the first and third Mondays of each month, at 10:30 a.m. A slight additional fee of $4 per family is required, which includes activity materials and morning snacks.
After touring the museum, locomotive lovers are encouraged to swing by the gift shop for unique books, apparel, and other treasures, as well as special games and toys for the young engineers in the family.
The museum has seasonal hours of operation, which are extended in the summertime. From late spring until early fall, the museum is open from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Sundays. In the wintertime, (loosely defined as late October through late March), the Monday through Saturday hours change to 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., and the museum is closed on Sundays. Ticket admission is around $8.50 for adults, with special discounts for seniors and military personnel. Kids' tickets are about $4.50 for ages 2-12.
Newcomers to Wilmington who want to brush up on their local history, (or just enjoy a fun afternoon for all ages), are encouraged to discover the sights and sounds of the Wilmington Railroad Museum. A local institution, the Wilmington Railroad Museum sheds new light on the original backbone of this bustling coastal town.
October 9, 2025
This year, the Duck Jazz Festival proudly reaches its 16th anniversary, and with it, we unveil our artistic vision:“Duck Grooves: The Sound of Jazz,” is an electrifying celebration of jazz’s dynamic, ever-evolving nature, set against the stunning backdrop of the Currituck Sound. It’s a fusion of past, present, and future, where the timeless traditions of jazz intersect with the vibrancy of new, innovative sounds. Just as the sound of jazz flows and adapts, so too does the landscape of Duck where the rhythm of the music harmonizes with the natural beauty of the water and the surrounding environment.
More than 2,000 shipwrecks sunk off the Coast of North Carolina in what’s called the Graveyard of the Atlantic. With all that history floating around, it was only natural to build a museum to honor and preserve the maritime culture of the Outer Banks. A state-of-the-art structure, the year round museum houses and displays artifacts, and presents a variety of exhibits and interprets the rich maritime culture that includes war, piracy, ghost ships and more. Artifacts include thoseex from the USS Monitor, which sank 16 miles off the Hatteras coast. The lobby features the stunning and original, 1854, First Order Lens from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Current hibits include those on piracy and the Civil War on Hatteras Island.
OCEANFRONT Avon — Greenwood Pl. — As one family’s vacation home for nearly 40 years, the smartly refreshed WINDHAVEN is the ideal choice for other families and friend groups who want to start their own family vacation tradition. Perched and protected beyond the ocean dunes, this six-bedroom/four-full and one-half-bath home artfully balances the appeal of a classic Carolina beach home with the modern amenities you expect and want in your home-away-from-home. This thoughtful blend of past and present provides the ambience that will color all of your soon-to-be-made vacation memories. Soak up the sun from one of the chaise lounges that surrounds a freshly resurfaced oceanside pool on the ground level. Accessing the beach is simple from a private boardwalk; return to two outside showers that accommodate an painless rinse-off. There’s a foosball table under the shade of the home for when the competitive spirit moves you and a gas grille on the patio to fire up for a poolside lunch. The first level offers an apartment-like king bedroom with a full ensuite bath, day bed, private entrance and enormous oceanside deck, ideal for a babysitter or au pair. The second level offers four more roomy bedrooms. There’s a room with a single and bunk and another with a single and full bed that share a Jack-and-Jill bath with a king room. An additional master king room features an ensuite bath and, like all of the home’s bedrooms, a intelligent TV. Completing this level is a peaceful sunroom with a intelligent TV, comfortable seating to cuddle up with a good book, and a bistro table. Step outside on the deck and discover a four-person hot tub, protected from the sun, but not from the sensational vistas. The sixth and final bedroom, a cavernous master king with private bath, is located on the third level and opens directly onto the open kitchen, dining and great rooms. The pitched wood beamed ceiling, striking wood walls and striking electric fireplace is destined to draw everybody together to watch the sizable flat screen intelligent TV or for evening game nights. The open kitchen with four-seat breakfast counter has everything you need to fix the feasts you’ll look forward to sharing around the long 12-seat dining table. As the evenings wind down, the star-lit sky, ocean breeze and sound of waves rolling onto the shore will surely lure you onto the deck to complete the day. Book WINDHAVEN and make it your haven for now, and the future. The following items are available at all Surf or Sound Realty properties, even though they are not listed individually: Central Air/Heat, Washer/Dryer, Fridge, Dishwasher, Microwave, TV, Standard Coffee Maker, Toaster, Blender, and Outdoor Grille.
- Avon
- 6 Bedrooms
- 4.5 Bathrooms
